Local man’s heartfelt thanks to Doctors for new lease on life

“I had been feeling really flat, just not myself,” said Andrew. “I’m usually very active - out mowing lawns, chopping wood, playing with the dogs. I didn’t have the energy to do anything but sit on the couch.”

While the symptoms Andrew displayed were fairly mild, shortness of breath and fatigue, it was enough to warrant further testing. A cardiac angiogram found extensive narrowing of the arteries around the heart, and triple bypass surgery was recommended.

Andrew’s Cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr Ross Mejia, hopes both men and women will take the time to get tested if they are experiencing any symptoms. “Andrew is a young, fit and healthy man,” Dr Mejia said. “He’s not someone you would consider to be at risk of heart attack. I commend him for reading the health signs and taking action.”

“I’ve been struggling for so long, maybe 2 years,” said Andrew. “I feel like I have a new lease on life. My brain feels clearer, I can think better. Even my eyes seem to be working better. Thank you to the amazing team, I can’t say enough. The job they did is incredible. I came in with a V4 engine and now I have a V8.”

The introduction of open heart surgery to Lingard’s already extensive cardiac services allows Novocastrians to access lifesaving treatments quickly, and all in the one place. Lingard’s rapid access cardiac testing service, Healthe Heart, has recently been named by the Australian Private Hospital’s Association as a finalist in the 2021 Excellence Awards for Innovation. The hospital also offers cardiac catheterisation, dedicated coronary care and intensive care.

“The addition of open heart surgery to what we offer patients here at Lingard is really the final piece of the puzzle to what is a leading, holistic end-to-end cardiac treatment facility,” says Lingard CEO Dawn Walker.

Pictured left to right - ICU Nurse Lucas Watkins, Surgical Theatre Educator Danielle Ross, Triple Bypass patient Andrew Robinson, RN Adam Dagg.